Parks board asks staff to include $10,000 for Belgrade Summer Nights in proposed budget

The Belgrade Regional Parks, Trails and Recreation District on Tuesday voted to request staff include $10,000 in the proposed 2025–26 fiscal year budget to support Belgrade Summer Nights, a free community concert series organized by the Belgrade Community Coalition.

The request, framed as a budget consideration rather than an immediate appropriation, passed after discussion about the Coalition’s fundraising, event scope and whether to label the amount a “minimum.” Keeley Parker, president of the Belgrade Community Coalition, asked the board to sponsor two nights of the series and said the Coalition would raise funds for additional nights.

“We tried to fill that need with Belgrade Summer Nights,” Parker said. “Last year, we did 3 of these Belgrade Summer Nights, 1 per month in the summer. We are trying to increase it to 5 this summer... By all of our best estimates, we think that about 1,500 residents came to each of the Belgrade Summer Nights.”

Parker told the board it costs roughly $5,000 per night for music, sound engineering and permits and that the Coalition intends to keep the events free and family friendly. She said the Coalition has already raised enough funds to guarantee three nights this summer and was requesting the district sponsor two nights (the $10,000 request) to reach five total.

Board members asked how the events are promoted, whether the Coalition would return seeking support in future years and how the district would account for any unused funds. Parker described social media, flyers and partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits as the Coalition’s primary outreach. Board members also discussed removing the word “minimum” from the motion so the requested amount would be presented as $10,000 for consideration.

The board approved the request by voice vote. Before the Summer Nights discussion, the board had approved the March 6 meeting minutes as part of the consent agenda.

Votes at a glance: • Motion to approve March 6 meeting minutes — approved (consent agenda). • Motion to request staff include $10,000 for consideration in the proposed 2025–26 budget to support Belgrade Community Coalition’s Belgrade Summer Nights — approved.

The Coalition said it hopes the district’s contribution will help sustain the series annually while keeping admission free; the board agreed the item would appear in the upcoming budget materials for formal consideration with other proposed expenditures.